Reasons for Designation
Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments
dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most
examples belonging to the period 2400-1500 BC. They were constructed as
earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple
burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often
acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Often superficially similar,
although differing widely in size, they exhibit regional variations in form
and a diversity of burial practices. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl
barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring
across most of lowland Britain. Often occupying prominent locations, they are
a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable
variation of form and longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisations amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of
protection.
The two bowl barrows 840m north east of Hinchwick Manor survive well, and
their mounds will contain evidence for primary and secondary burials,
along with grave goods, which will provide information about prehistoric
funerary practices and about the size of the local community at that time.
The barrow mounds will also preserve environmental information in the
buried original ground surface, predating the construction of the barrows
and giving insight into the landscape in which the monument was set. In
addition the mounds and their surrounding ditches will contain
environmental evidence, in the form of organic remains, which will relate
both to the barrow and the wider landscape. The area between the two
barrow mounds is also significant, as it will contain satellite burials,
grave goods and other associated artefacts, which will relate to the
material in the mounds, and will help to explain the importance of the
barrows within prehistoric society.
Details
The monument includes two bowl barrows located just below the crest of a
west facing slope in the Cotswolds. The southern barrow mound measures
about 20m in diameter and is 1.4m high, while the barrow mound to the
north measures 18m in diameter and is 1.6m high. Surrounding each mound is
a ditch from which material was excavated during the construction of the
barrows. These ditches are no longer visible at ground level, having
become infilled over the years, but survive as buried features about 2m
wide. The area between the barrows will contain burials and features
relating to the barrows and their construction.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.